Car coupler



' Dec. 18, 1928.v

L.` D. GREGG CAR COUPLER Filed April s. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR BY( F; i ATroRNEY Dee. 18, 1928.

L. D. GREGG CAR coUPLER Filed April 5o, 1926 s sheets-sheet s l ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 18, r1928. e

UNITED STATES? PATENT ortica Louis D. GREGG, 0E HACKENSACK, NEW. JERSEY, AssIGNoETo THE G'EEGG coM- PANY, LIMITED, 0E NEW YORK,A n. Y., A Conroan'rroiu ler n'EWfYoEK. Y

CAB. oo'UPLER.

Application fue@ April so, 192e. serial No; 105,653.

This inventionrelates to a link and pin coupler of the type carrying, in addition to a coupling-pin, a link which is locked with-V ing link of the coupler ofanother car;- and the object thereof is to further improve such couplers both structurally and functionally.

To this end, the invention comprises, as one of its features, a coupler with separable base and head, the head being telescopically mounted uponv the base, and two interposed springs which willbe compressed when the head is moved either towards or` from the base and which thus yieldingly lock the two partstogether. These two springs are located on the opposite sides of the coupler and are there housed within walls which are carried by thebase and headfrespectively and provide the telescopic connection between these parts-and which are spaced apart a substantial distance so as to provide, between the outer faces of the inner walls, al central passage or chamber wide enough to receive the coupling-link and at the same time to permit of the insertion of the springs, at each side, throughopenings in these inner walls. The opening. for the spring in the wall bounding the central passage on each side, usuallycarried by the head, is preferably provided at itsopposite ends with'projecting flanges by which lthe spring, inserted'under compression allowing it to pass between the two flanges and then expanding against the seats provided, will be held locked in place.

Other features of the invention, .applicable alike to link and pin couplers with separable base and head and to those Vhaving an integral drawhead, include an opening of substantial size in the top of thel coupler inA communication with the rear end of the link chamber, a rear floor section for the link chamber the surface of which curves upwardly and rearwardly at its rear end whereby, when the link is retracted, its rear inner end will be directedk upwardly and out through the opening, and, preferably, a transverse notch or projection in the floor of the link chamber into or behind which the front end of the link will drop when at or,r

` automatically.

so hold the `link in its retracted or inoperative position; a coupling-link vwhich is heavier at'its inner than at itsjouter end, sothat f I the 'projecting outer end'of the link at the limit of its forward movement within the `head will be over-balanced by such heavier inner end and thereby normally held in a substantially horizontal position, and is preferably provided at its inner end with a hook or handle by which it may be grasped and drawn backwards and upwards through the rea r opening in the top of the coulper; a lockingpin, of novel design, which at one end is pivoted ina wall of the coupler to swing to a limited extent forwardly and rearwardly within the link chamber and, passing at its free end through the link, serves at the limit of its forward movement as a pivot' forthe link nearthe front outer face of the coupler and at therearwardlimit of its movement prevents the removal of the link from the coupler through the upper rear opening; and, finally, a coupling-pin which is not ronly locked in the coupler, so that it vcannot be lost or stolen, but, when raised to inoperative position, can be tipped back so thatit will be held up by ,gravity and frictionbut will be jarred loose bythe impact of the coupler with the coupler of another car and so drop One practical embodiment of the several features o f the invention is shown, by way of companying drawings, in which-l c Fig. l isa view, in longitudinal vertical section on the line 11 of 2, of a coupler in--which are combined all of thenovel features above outlined; Fig. 2 is a view thereof, partly in plan and partly in horizontallongitudinal section on thev line 2 2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a perspective yview of one-half of the base of the coupler; and Fig. 4 is asimilar view of oneehalf of the separable head.

.illustration and'not of limitation, in the ac Referring to the drawings, "A indicates i the base and B, the head, ofthe coupler, C C indicate the ltwo buffer-springs, and DS E and F indicate the coupling-link, the lock-v ing-pin, and the coupling-pin, respectively.

Thebase casting provides a vertical baseplate l with holes 22 for the bolts 3 3 by which it is attached tothe underframe of the car. On each vof'its opposite sides this base-plate carries, spaced apart a substantial distance and set forward from its base on yupper and lower' legs 4 and 5, upper and lowwalls 8 and 9 of theV hase.

transversely of the coupler.

er horizontal walls 6 and Tand connecting vertical i falls 8 and 9 which forni elongated spring` chamber open at its sides lllie rear wall 8 is provided with a hole 2 of a size to perniit the end of a fastenin holt to pass therethrough. Intermediate these projecting walls and suitably spaced therefrom on each side is a curved shelf or rear flooring for the coupliiig-linkj whichpreferably as shown is Valso carried by the hase-plate hut may. he y `made as a part of the head. For

lightness and strength? this shelf cut away centrally so as to leave two floor ledges or sections 10 1() and a thin wel) 11 connecting` them together et the bottom lllach of the `two floor inner side,`hottoni and top walls which divide the interior( thereof into and more or less enclose a central longitudinal chamber or passage., open front and rear, in which are housed the coupling-link and the lochand coupling-pins mounted in the top or roof ahove, and, on opposite sides of said central passage and in communication therewith, two similar side chambers open at the rear to telescopically receive thel walls carried on the opposite sides of the hase-plate.

a rlflie face wall has a central openingr 16 which provides between its outwardly hevell l sides 17 a laterally extended mouth or entrance to `the central passage and at the bottom a forward extension of the floor of said passage. rlhis wail is curved rearwardly oneach side of the head and, droppini` somewhatat the top, merges into an outer side wall 18, which is rounded outwardlyT ahout a horizontal longitudinal axis into a partial cylinder closed within hy segmental ends 19 and 20, with vertical inner edges, spaced the saine distance apart as are the Each of 'the inner side walls consi" tions or uprights 21 21 which parallel the vertical `edges of the ends 19 and 2O and are spaced therefrom `snliiciently toV allow the walls 6., "(i 8, and 9 of the hase to pass freelyv 1oetween them; and hese two sections to provide an openthemselves spaced inn' of a length from front to rear equal to the distance between the ends 19 and 20,

which opening isreducod somewhat :it each KV i f .j Y i 1A Y tal end 2O andthe edge of theV other inner lend on the' side adjoining' the ce'i'itral pas# sage, hyran upright flange or projection 22 of two narrow sec# on each wall section. The lower wall has on each side ofthe head a section 23 with hori- Zontal surface which provides a horizont-al loor foreach side chamber and, between these side sections, has an intermediate section 2-l the upper surface of which serves as `the floor of the central passage and, preferably asshown, is inclined forwardly and upwardly `at a slight angle. rlhis intermediate floor section"l is eut away centrally thereof to forni atfthe hack ofthe face wall atrans- `vei'sely elongated rounded opening for the coupling-pin9 a rear opening` 26, with sides which from its forward end sweep outwardly and hach to the inner side walls, of a size toreceivethe floor ledges or sections 1v() 1G Carriedy hy the base-plate, and a rcst'ricted passage 27. connecting,- these two openings over the upper face of a transverse web 28,` The'upper wall' has on each side of the head a horizontal roof section 29 for "each of the side chambers the lower surface of which parallels the floor surface 23 and is spaced apart therefrom so that together fthese surfaces will provide free slide hear ingsfor the walls G and 7 of the hase. The

intermediate central section of the upper wall7 cut away at the rear over the rear opening in the lower wall, is further cut down and through to form, at thezhack of the face wall and in vertical. alignment with theV opening 'in the i'ioor, an opening 30 for the coupling-pin which is somewhat enlarged rearwardly just helow'the top surface so as to undercut this surfaceand form flanges 0 A. A. L

e1 thereat, and, for the mounting oi the locking-pin, a` parallel-sided opening; 32

which extends vforwardly into the opening` `and rearwardly at an incline 33 through the lower partof the transverse bridge-wall 34, with forwardly inclined upper face 35, and is extended laterally to provide trunnion sockets 86 open at the topand connected forwardly with the. opening' 30 hy forwardly inclined -grooves 37 in the intermediate wall,

fthe upper sides of these grooves providing` retaining shoulders 38 just below the flanges 31. Y

To assemble these main parts of the coupler,tlie walls carried'on the opposite sides of the hase are pushed into the side cha-inhers of the head untiltheyreach the relative position'a shown in Figs. 1 and 2. where the inner faces of the walls 8 and 9 register with the inner vertical edges of the inner wall sectionsl21 21. rl`he two springs C C are then compressed and slipped first one and then the rotherHhetween and past the flanges 22 22 intoythe two side chambers and, released therein, themselves at one end against a wall S, a segmental end 19 andthe edge of oneinnei side wall section '21 and at its other end against a falli), a seguierside wall section 21. The two springs will thus normally but yieldingly-hold the head upon the base in the position shown, but one or both will be compressed, between the walls 9 and the segmental ends 19 andv edges of the two rear wall sections 21 or between the walls 8 and the segmental ends 20 and edges of the two forward wall sections 21,

whenever the head is either pushed back upon the base or is pulled forward thereon.

The special coupling-link D, here provided is weighted at its inner end by a solid extension 10, which terminates in an upwardly and forwardly projecting hook or handle 41. This weight serves to hold the inner eud lof the link down upon the floor of the head, as shown in Fig. 1, and so to prevent its outer end from dropping of its own weight when projected out from the head to operative position while allowing it to be pulled downward; and the hook or handle thereon, which can be reached by the hand through the opening provided in the top of the coupler, serves as a means for drawing the link back and upto inoperative posit-ion where, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, its outer front end is held in the two recesses 12 12.

The locking-pin E is pivotally mounted at its upper end within the opening 32 in the upper wall of the head, to swing for wardly and rearwardly, by means of integral trunnions 45 which are journaled in i the rounded bottoms of the trunnion sock ets 3G; and, extending downwardly between the sides of and through the coupling-pin, its lower end swings back and forth between the openingsI 25 and 26 in the lower wall through thev connecting passage 27. From about midway of its length downward to its lower end this pin gradually expands both front to backand laterally, and itsffront face is cut away to provide a vertically-dis posed groove 16, with rounded bottom and of gradually increasingr depth and of a width to'receive the coupling-pin F, the sides of which form, at the 'lower end of the pin, forwardlyprojecting arms 47. Thus, when the coupling-link is thrust forward it will carry the lower end of the locking-pin forward with it until the bottom of the groove. 4G and the arms 47, which will straddle the couplingpin lwhen in itsy downwardly eX- tended position, bear respectively against and are stopped either or both bythe coupling-pin and the front of the opening 25 at the back of the face-wall. In `this position this pin will act as a pivot-pin for the link close to the face of the coupler, Las shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The locking-pin will be swung rearwardly when the link drawn back and up to inoperative position, but, as its rearward swing is limited by a stop provided by theinclined face 33 on the bridge-wall 34, it will prevent the removal of the link from the head.

The coupling-pin-F is provided, in addi tion to the usual shoulder 51 at its upper end or head, with a headed tip 50, preferably of truncated cone shape as shown,-

which forms at its end a reversed shoulder. This shoulder', when the pin is raised in ,the head, abuts against the flanges 31 at the upper end of the opening 3() and the shoul ders 88 and so locks the coupling-pin to` the head, preventing its removal therefrom. The coupling-pin when raised may be tipped back so as to rest against the inclined face 35 of the bric ge-wall 341, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and will there beheld by friction with this face and the friction of the conical surface of its tip with the front of the opening 30. AY jar in longitudinal direction, as by the impact of the coupler against the coupler of another car, will however release vthe pin so that it will drop down to position, as shown in Fig.` 1.

I rlhe locking-V and coupling-pins are assembled and locked in the head in the following manner: The locking-pin is intro- `duced into the central passage in the head and is turnedabout at an angle ofninety degrees to normal so that the trunnions at its upper' end will extend forwardly and backwardly instead of transversely. Thus positioned the trunnions are passed up through the two connecting openings 30 and 32, and, when they are above the head, the lockingpin is turned back to its normal position and the trunnions are dropped into the trunnion sockets. The coupling-pin is then inserted,- in the top of the head, by tipping its upper end.v forwardly and sliding the shoulder at its tip down'through the inclined grooves 37 yinto the opening BO. After this has been done, both locking-pin and coupling-pin are locked in the head by inserting a bolt 6() in the holes 61 provi-ded therefor, thus closing the opening 32 above the locking-pin and the passageway .through the grooves 37.

While I have shown and hereinabove described in detail a coupler of the construction which I now arefer and which Inow consider to be the best because. embodying allthe features of my invention, it will be Vunderstood that the coupler may be variously modified in the form of its several parts, or by the substitution of equivalents therefor, and that as hereinabove suggested the different features constituting the invention may be used separately or may be differently combined, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the substantial advantages thereof.

`What I claim as new, and desire to secure by letters patent,isy 1. A car coupler of the type described comprising base and head sections telescopically joined on the Vopposite sides of the coupler and springs yieldingly holding the sections in normal relationship one upon t-he verse recessr at thebottom of said incline adapted to receivethe end of a couplinglink. .j

13. A link and pin couplerl comprising,fin combination, a longitudinal link chamber open front and rear, a coupling pin mount-r ed in holes in the upper' and lower walls of the chamber near the forward end thereof, a link of loop formation mounted to slide within the chamber, and passing through the loop of the link a member locked within the chamber to move within fixed limits therein, forwardly to a position immediate ly behind the coupling pin where it serves as.V a pivot pin for the link 'and rearwardly to allow the link to project through the rear opening of the chamber while locking yit against removal therethrough.

14. A link and pin coupler comprising, in combination, a longitudinal link chamber open front and rear, ya link mounted to slide therein, and passing through the loopof the link a member mountedpivotally in a wall of the chamber to swing forwardly and rearwardly within fixed limits therein thereby permitting the link to shift longitudinally to project through while locking it againstremoval from either front or 'rear chamber opening.

15. A 'car coupler comprising a longitudinal link chamber open at the front in the face and at the rear in vthe' top of the coupler and having a rear oor section curving rear-- wardly and upwardly below the rear open.-

ing, a link of loop formation mounted in said chamber to slide therein, and a pivotally mounted member passing through the loop of said link and `adaptedy to lock the rear end of the link within the forward end of the chamber and the forward end of the link within the rear vend of the chamber against removal through either opening.

16. A car coupler comprising a longitur dinal link chamber open at the front Vin the face and at the rear in the top of the coupler and having' a rear floor section curving rearwardly and upwardly below the rear opening, a link of loop formation mounted in said chamber to slide therein, a pivotally mounted member passing through the loop.

of said link to swing forwardly and rearwardly to a limited extent only and adapted to be so swung by the engagement therewith of the ends of the link when moved forward wardly and rearwardly below the rear opening, l a coupling-link of loop formation mounted to slide within the chamber, a mem-v ber pivotally mounted in the walls of the coupler overthe chamber ,and adjacent its forward end to swing forwardly and rearwardly therein vwith its lower free end er;

tended downwardly through the loop of the link, a stop adapted to engage the lower kend of said member and to `limit its forwardv movement when ina posit-ion substantially parallel to the face of the coupler, and a second stop adapted to engage said member to Vlimit its rearward movement near the rear opening of the chamber.

18. A car coupler comprising a longitu-` dinal link chamber open at the front in the face and at the rear in the top of the coupler,

a coupling-link of loop information .slidable withinY the chamber, and a locking member' ext-ending downwardlythrough the chamber and 'coupling-link andpivoted at its upper endyto swing topa limited extent forwardly link chamber open at its `outer front end in the face ofthe coupler betweenupper` and lower buffer walls of substantial height and va link of loop formation'so slidably secured within the chamber that it may project for a considerable portion of its length outwardly beyond the'coupler face, the link being integrally weightedat its inner end and supported by the `Hoor of the chamber substantially to the face of the coupler whereby the outer end of the link when fully extended will normally be held in horizontal position while capable of beingv tilted up and down therefrom and of swinging laterally to a substantial degree.

20. In a link and pin coupler, the combination of a longitudinal link .chamber vopen at the front in the face of the coupler and at the rear throughan opening in the top'of the coupler large enough to admit the hand of an operator, and a coupling-link provided at its inner rear end with projecting means serving as a handle whereby the .link can be grasped and drawn. upwardly through said rear opening.

21. A link and pin coupler comprising a longitudinal link chamber open at the front in the face and atthe rear in the top of the coupler and aa coupling-link slidable in said chamber andv capable of projectingvfor a portion only af its length through said. front opening, the rear opening being of ii Size to adniit the hand of en operator and the inner end of the link being provided with an upward orleet by which the linli een he grasped and drawn' up :ind hack through Seid rear opening.

22. A link und pin coupler comprising zi longitudinal link ch einher open et the front in the fece and et the reni' in the top-of the coupler and having n substantially horizontail 'front end :i ,rearwardly and upwardly inclined reni' floor section, end i couplinglink weighted sind provided with ii handle et its inner end slidiihly mounted in seid chainher :ind liinited in its movement therein so that 'forward portion only can project through the iin/int opening; end ite reni' portion only een project through the rerir opening oiD the chamber.

. 23. A pin and link coupler con'iprieing,- i longitudinal link cheinher open et ite 'front end in the Vlece oi' the coupler and provided neer the vhice of the ,coupler with holes in the upper and lower wells of the chziniher to receive e coupling` pin in which the hole in the lower chziinher wall is elongated treue vereely of the chamber to permit e Substantiel lateral movement of the pin therein and the hole in the upger chnnher wall is adepted to hold the upper end ol the pin substantielly et thetreneveree center or the chain: her while permitting itslower endto swing` laterally within the hole below.

24. A cer coupler comprising a longitudinel link cheniher open et the 'forward end of the coupler, zi coupling-pin provided with shoulders hoth at itsheed and tip, an openshouldered tip of the coupling-pin, en opening inthe welle oi' the coupler zit the top of the link cheniher adapted to receive the coupling-pin sind reduced in eize et its up per end to prevent the peeezige therethrough of either shoulder oit the pin9 :i pnesegre ioni the top of the coupler connectingij with one side of the upper opening adapted to ndniit the elioiilderedtip oi the cnnpling-pin to seid opening' below coi'itizicted upper end, sind ineane `for cloning; seid passage.

25. In e cer couplera the combination oi zi link chziinher open forwardly in the Yhice of the coupler, airlinkye. locking-pin with integrzil'pivot ti'unnions its ripper end', zuid ii coupling-pin with .shoulders at hoth head `sind tip, and ineiine 'for mounting end. locking,`

both loclingand Coupling-pins in the well of Jthe conplei.`over thelink cheinher9 fr forward oleiiinp; in saidA well of rounded sect-ion adapted to receive the couplinif-oin and contracted at its upper end to prevent the passage oi either shoulder thereon, ai second opening` with perallel'sides opening lor wzirdly into the rear side of the front opening and having' in ite sides trunnion sockets open et their upper ends, forwardly end downwardly Vinclined grooves connecting each the forward 4side ein trnnnion socket with the rear sideof the forward opening below the contracted upper end thereof, and ineens for simultaneously closing the upperV ends both vol." the triinnionsocliets and of the inclined grooves. LOUIS GREGG. 

